The Statue of Idrimi of Alalakh

Description: The statue of the Alalakh king Idrimi is one of the outstanding pieces for the second half of the 2nd millennium in Syria. The inscription written all over the statue (even on the beard) is one of only a few specimens of autobiographical texts from Mesopotamia. Alalakh, modern Tell Atchana, belonged then to the territory of Aleppo and therefore to the powerful kingdom of Mitanni. The text tells Idrimi's story about fleeing to Emar and then moving on to live amongst Canaanite tribes. There he was able to gain control and marched back to Alalakh. Parattarna, the king of Mitanni, recognized his power over the throne of Alalakh. (Klaus Wagensonner, University of Oxford)